Morality & Mortality (Artificer x Reader)

Rain Won't Wash Off The Blood On Your Hands.

[[ORIGINAL MUSIC COMPOSED BY OLA STRANDH]]

For the past few minutes, you and Artificer just sat there in the cramped space in painful silence.

The only thing that was making a sound in this cramped tin can was the soft banging of The Rain outside and the drip of blood flowing from Artificer's hand.

Softhaneil was already powered down, you still had no idea what the thing even was, or what it was used for. 

But these were thoughts for another time and/or place. 

This sanctuary offered much less room than before, though luckily it was lenient enough so you didn't have to sleep next to Arti, but it was still very strict. Strict enough to make sleeping uncomfortable anyway.

You looked at Artificer with a a feeling similar to disgust, you wanted to scold her, you wanted to make her feel bad for what she had done to that lizard but...

You couldn't.

Either you didn't have the energy to, was just in shock, or were a coward. 

Artificer was unfazed, how could someone be so calm after literally disemboweling someone? How can someone live with that? 

How could someone live a life, knowing that they've taken another? 

The thought boggled you. Yet you didn't dare speak up about it, for if you did Artificer would probably make you meet a similar fate to the lizard outside.

"So, about my eye. . ." Artificer started. She was trying to stop the awkward silence. "What did you need to treat it?" 

"Doesn't matter now, I'll get the ingredients later" You mumbled, shutting down any attempt at conversation.

"Tch, suit yourself hardass..."

The Rain pounded on the vault door ruthlessly, sometimes it was tranquil, other times it would be unbearable. Though this time, you didn't know, nor did you care. The Rain was just another variable in this singular moment. 

Though, this fact didn't stop the feeling that thoughts were spinning around your head all at once. Possibly due to overexertion, or something else.

"Why did you, do that?" You finally had the courage to speak up. 

"Do what?" Artificer said, leaning against the metal wall, coated with decay. "Oh, You mean the lizard, don't you? About time you brought it up."

"Look, I get it Arti. Sometimes, for you at least, you have to kill. Since you obviously can't eat fruit or vegetables, due to them having little nutritional value to you." You chose to deviate from that choice of dialogue. "But, ripping out someone's organs and leaving them to bleed out? That's a bit much"

"Someone? Those lizards aren't slugcats like us. Hell, they only have one motive, and that's to kill and hunt" 

"That's two moti-"

"Shut up."

The shelter was silent again for a few minutes. You took a glance at Arti's paws/hands. They were still covered in grime, blood and other... less identifiable remains. 

As The Saints once said: Blood and gore can be washed off. But the feeling of killing will forever stain your hands red.

You took a glance at Artificer's missing eye again, it seemed to be swelling and turning black now. It was an obvious sign of gangrene, but you needed to do one last thing.

"OW! HEY! WHAT THE HELL!" Artificer shouted in pain once you felt the missing eye. Well, that confirms the gangrene then, not to mention the gross (yet satisfying) crunch sound the infected skin made when touched.

"It was just to confirm you had the ailment I was thinking of" You explain, rather professionally. 

"Oh, it's that Garden-Green thing you keep on talking about right? Well it doesn't matter. Even if I die, I just return to my nearest shelter at the start of the day anyway." Artificer was still annoyed by your sudden intrusion, but not as much as you would have expected, strangely.

"What? That's, unusual." You pondered about this fact. Returning to life was something you never expected of this world. "Thought that only works after a ritual is completed. Care to tell me how it happens?"

Artificer sighed, seems like she wasn't fond of explanations "So, you die, then you wake back up in your previous shelter or the shelter your bleeding corpse manages to get into post-death. Any wounds that happened during the cycle will be gone. So, if I die to that infection, it'll be gone when I wake up" 

Sensing a potential loophole, you act.

"Well, the gangrene that you have takes a long time to kill, so with that logic, you'll be stuck with it through multiple cycles. Making it part of yourself, so The Cy- I mean, whatever 'heals' slugcats won't work if you die from your affliction" You say, a little concerned for the pained slugcat in front of you.

Artificer, now pretty much forced to team up with you, groans heavily. "You are VERY lucky I got my eye torn out" She sighs "You can tag along with me for a bit. On one condition, I can kill whatever I want"

You hesitated for a bit, but managed to keep your voice in control. "F-fine, only in self defence though, ok?" 

Artificer nodded, as if to say 'That's fair'. 

"How do you know all this? And you still haven't told me what a 'Karma Gate' is." Though funnily enough, your pleas were met with deaf ears, as the scarred slugcat seemed to have dozed off, leaving you in silence. "Should've studied more on architecture..."

Gutting someone takes a lot of energy apparently.

Not sensing anything else to do, you rest, letting the darkness envelop you in its cold and comforting embrace.